Weird or wonderful, food cravings are TOTALLY normal during pregnancy, and likely won’t stick around once you’ve given birth. It’s not clear why we crave certain foods during pregnancy but rapidly changing hormones may be to blame, along with the extra work your body is doing to quickly produce more blood. With the production of more blood, you may notice a strange metallic taste in your mouth which can be quite strong as your body is adjusting to it. Other women notice that their tastes change and foods they once loved can taste revolting, and foods they once hated are now an obsession.
We asked our Facebook fans what cravings they had and the most popular answers were chocolate, fruit and popsicles. Of course, some had no cravings at all, while others had incredibly strange ones like:
- Kit Kats dipped in garlic mayo
- Ice, ice and more ice
- Pickles and Ice Cream
- Anything cremated on the BBQ
- Skittles with no shell
- Icing on Pepperoni Pizza
- Very spicy chicken wings
- Jelly beans and cheese crackers
Some cravings came in the form of smells;
- Burnt matches
- Old books
- Rain on pavement
- New rubber bicycle tires
When should you see a doctor about your pregnancy cravings?
Some cravings can be dangerous and a sign that you need to see a Doctor. If you have a strong desire to eat metal, soil, chalk, soap, or other non-food items, you may be experiencing symptoms of Pica. Cases of Pica are very rare and can be treated by supplements to correct any iron or vitamin deficiency that may be causing it. Beyond this, most cravings are considered normal, even if they are bizarre in nature.
While giving in to cravings is totally okay, a continuous diet of unhealthy foods can lead to excessive weight gain, gestational diabetes and other problems that can last beyond the birth of your baby. You still want to make sure you are eating a nutritionally balanced diet that will take care of you and the baby, even with the weird cravings. This is part of why your prenatal vitamins are so important to your pregnancy; in case you have severe food aversions where you aren’t eating completely balanced, the vitamins will be there to back you up. Just be mindful not to rely too heavily on your cravings to feed you, and be modest with the portion of them, as you would with any other treat.
